We have a wiener: California man eats 71 hot dogs to win title

Joey “Jaws” Chestnut ate 71 wieners and buns to safe his 12th title at Nathan’s Well-known annual July Fourth scorching canine consuming contest on Thursday, only a few scorching canine shy of breaking the document he set final 12 months.

In entrance of a crowd of followers and going through 17 opponents, the California native far exceeded his nearest rivals, however did not fairly make the 74-dog mark he reached in 2018.

When requested how he felt after the competition, Chestnut, 35, stated “I really feel like I ought to eat a pair extra.

“I knew it was going to be shut. I was attempting exhausting and I was overstuffing my mouth and it wasn’t happening,” he said. “I simply wanted to discover a technique to transfer somewhat bit quicker. I assume it is getting tougher the older I get.”

The 33-year-old fell in need of her whole final 12 months of 37 frankfurters however earned her sixth consecutive title by simply beating runner-up Michelle Lesco, who wolfed down 26 scorching canine.

Like Chestnut, she expressed some disappointment in not consuming extra.

“It wasn’t my finest quantity, the numbers had been fairly low throughout the board. I do not know if it was the warmth, however I actually cannot complain. I wasn’t feeling in my finest form so I’m simply glad that it was sufficient to tug off a sixth belt,” she stated.

The annual eat-off began in 1972, although the corporate has lengthy promoted the occasion with a theatrical backstory that locations its begin date in 1916.

Chestnut has solely misplaced as soon as since 2007, when he pulled forward of longtime foe Takeru Kobayashi for the primary time. An ESPN documentary launched Tuesday options the 2 former rivals and their excessive coaching regimens.

“It is not one thing that there is books written about,” Chestnut says in the film, which shows him lifting his head up and down with a weight dangling from his mouth. “There’s not trainers. Every part’s trial and error.”